The present invention relates to a seat arrangement in a motor vehicle, such as a car, and particularly in a rear of a motor vehicle.
It is well known to provide a seat arrangement in the rear of a motor vehicle in which the seat arrangement has a back rest which can be securely latched in a partly reclined position for normal use by one or more passengers and can be folded forwards and downwards onto a cushioned base of the seat arrangement to provide access to a boot space behind the seat arrangement.
It is desirable to provide a seat arrangement which can additionally be used by passengers with the back rest in a less-inclined or upright position, thereby increasing the available boot space behind the seat arrangement. Attempts to achieve such an arrangement have involved means such as two interlocking fingers. However these have been found to be prone to distortion and to be unsatisfactory in meeting crash test requirements.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or minimise this problem.
According to the present invention there is provided a seat arrangement in a motor vehicle, particularly in a rear thereof, comprising a base and a back rest which is pivotable at a lower region thereof to provide a selected angle of inclination thereof, including adjustable latching means adapted to be secured to a first member in the form of an upper region of at least one side of the back rest or to at least one body part of the vehicle and a rigid striker means having spaced first and second striker portions and adapted to be secured to a second member in the form of the other of the back rest and the body part, the adjustable latching means comprising: a rotatable cam member cooperating with the striker means; an elongate slider slidably secured to the first member and biased towards a cam surface of the cam member such that a first portion of the slider engages the cam surface, a second portion of the slider being adapted for manual retraction of the slider away from the cam surface against the biassing force; the cam member further having first and second slots such that in a first position of the back rest the first striker portion of the striker means engages the first slot, with the cam member orientated such that the first portion of the slider also engages the first slot to effect locking of the back rest in this first position; and in a second position of the back rest the second striker portion of the striker means engages the second slot, with the cam member orientated such that the first portion of the slider also engages the second slot to effect locking of the back rest in this second position.
In the first position of the back rest, the back rest may be secured at a full extent of backwards inclination; and in the second position of the back rest, the back rest may be secured in a generally upright orientation.
The first and second slots may be provided in the cam surface of the cam member. The cam surface may comprise an edge of the cam member.
The cam surface may have stop means for contacting the first portion of the slider to limit rotation of the cam member. Thus, in a third position of the back rest, with the adjustable latching means free from contact with the striker means, the first portion of the slider contacts the stop means. In the third position of the back rest, the back rest may be folded forwards towards the base. The stop means may comprise a protrusion on the edge of the cam member.
Manual retraction of the slider may be effective to disengage the first portion of the slider from the first slot to allow the back rest to be moved from either of the first and second positions, for example towards the other of the second and first positions or the third position.
The cam member may be spring-biased to create friction tending to resist rotation of the cam member.
The first and second slots in the cam member may be stepped whereby an inner portion thereof for accommodating the first or second striker portion of the striker means is narrower than an associated outer portion thereof for accommodating the first portion of the slider, one or more shoulders being provided at the interface between the inner and outer portions for engagement by a leading edge of the first portion of the slider.
The slider may be slidably accommodated in bearing or housing means secured to the first member.
The slider and/or the bearing and/or the housing means may be coated with a plastics, or other suitable, material, to facilitate sliding.
Indicating means may be provided, associated with the slider, for indicating engagement, or otherwise, of the slider with the first or second slots and hence whether or not the back rest is securely latched.
An interlock may be provided between the slider and a seat belt mechanism to prevent use of the seat belt unless the seat is securely locked in position.
The cam member may be rotatably mounted on a bolt means, such bolt means passing through a hole in the cam member and secured relative to (to or in) the first member.
The cam member may comprise a metal, such as steel, or a suitable alloy. The cam member may be coated with a plastics material to prevent or reduce rattles.
The adjustable latching means may be provided at one or both sides of the first member.
The striker means may comprise an elongate striker loop having first and second opposed end regions or a plurality of striker pins.
By means of the present invention a seat arrangement can be provided in the rear of a motor vehicle, such as a car, and where in addition to the back rest being securely latchable in a normal inclined position and foldable downwardly onto a base portion to provide open access to rear boot space, the back rest is also securely latchable in an intermediate position, such as a substantially vertical position, to provide useful extension of the boot space while permitting safe use of the seat arrangement by one or more passengers.